University of New Mexico Press Ladina Social Activism in Guatemala City, 1871-1954

Review A rigorous and impressive work and a major contribution to the historiographies on gender, race, class, and state- and nation-building in Latin America.--CALACS Book Prize 2021 Beautifully researched. . . . Ladina Social Activism in Guatemala City, 1871-1954 is an important book full of exciting information.--Deborah Levenson, Hispanic American Historical ReviewA much-needed glimpse into the diverse histories of Latin American feminisms. . . . The study challenges readers to question assumptions about linear histories of activism and the inherently progressive nature of feminisms. Highly recommended.--M. G. Torres, Choice Product Description In this groundbreaking new study on ladinas in Guatemala City, Patricia Harms contests the virtual erasure of women from the country's national memory and its historical consciousness. Harms focuses on Spanish-speaking women during the "revolutionary decade" and the "liberalism" periods, revealing a complex, significant, and palpable feminist movement that emerged in Guatemala during the 1870s and remained until 1954. During this era ladina social activists not only struggled to imagine a place for themselves within the political and social constructs of modern Guatemala, but they also wrestled with ways in which to critique and identify Guatemala's gendered structures within the context of repressive dictatorial political regimes and entrenched patriarchy. Harms's study of these women and their struggles fills a sizeable gap in the growing body of literature on women's suffrage, social movements, and political culture in modern Latin America. It is a valuable addition to students and scholars studying the rich history of the region. About the Author Patricia Harms is an associate professor in the History Department at Brandon University.